Animate Me
by abstract way
Summary: Professional animator Edward worships cartoon exec Bella from afar by day and draws her in his comic book late at night. When this Daffy Duck-loving geek comes face to face with his dream girl, will his fantasy world come to life? ...Note:The primary story of Animate Me was pulled and published. Thanks for 2 great years on fan fic.
1. Chapter 38  Three Men Talking Woo

Twilight character names belong to Stephenie Meyer. I own Animate Me.

_Thanks to Team Toonward! Editor Azucena, Prereaders BtwntheStacks, LemonMartinis, Squally and Beta Ms. Kathy_

****_I'm still swimming in a happy sea of Toonward love. You guys were incredibly generous and loving with your comments on the final chapter, and each review is a sparkly thing tucked away in my treasure box. You make me feel like I'm sitting on that pile of gold coins and jewels on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland, and it's better than I even imagined. _****

****_Thank you so much _****

****_xoxo_****

****_abbie  
><em>****

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><p><strong>Animate Me  Fandom4Texas Outtake / Three Men Talking Woo**

"_We must stoke the furnace of love, must we not?" ~Pepe le Pew _

_._

"How do you turn this thing on anyway?" I ask, flipping the small digital voice recorder over and over in my hands.

Carlisle takes it, examines it for a moment, and then a couple of taps and the red light comes on.

_That's my Dad._ He's a genius with anything mechanical.

I clear my throat. "Okay, it's August eighteenth and we are here …"

"Son, you should state our names," Dad interrupts.

"Okay, the Cullen men-Carlisle, Emmett, and me, Edward, are here to discuss ideas for the proposed book project, on how to woo a girl…well actually, how to woo a woman."

"Are you sure we want to record this conversation?" Emmett asks, pulling his hand through his hair as he stares at the contraption. "It'll probably get graphic at times."

"Well, Bella's editor friend can't make it out here from New York until next month, and she didn't want to wait. I'm also guessing that she thinks we may be more relaxed without her here. So this is a start to see what we come up with."

"A brainstorming session, if you will. They can be very effective," insists Carlisle.

"Exactly," I agree. "She insisted that the best thing while we throw ideas around is to not over-think things and just be candid. They can edit anything they need to later."

"Oh she'll be editing all right," booms Emmett, smiling.

I put my hand over the microphone. "Bella says this editor, Claire, can turn anything into a best seller, and she thinks she can really do something with this idea."

"Undoubtedly," Carlisle agrees. "Sadly, the masses often need to be spoon fed the obvious. Clearly it's just basic logic. The better you treat your woman, the better _you_ will be treated. This is not rocket science."

I nod and shrug, moving my hand off the recorder.

"Oh, and before I forget…Claire asked, if it gets published, would we be willing to do appearances?"

"You mean at bookstores, or are we talking porn shops?" Emmett asks.

"Of course, bookstores! What are you thinking?" I fire back, pushing his huge shoulder.

"Wait, I think I'm onto something here," Emmett offers. "What if you packaged this book as part of a gift set? There could be a bottle of massage oil, a vibrator, and some handcuffs packaged with it. We could build a website and the men will come….get it? Come?"

I slap my hands over my face and growl in frustration. "Emmett! It's like your brain is between your legs. Can you just be serious for a few minutes? Is that too much to ask?"

"Besides, you are completely missing the point here, Em." Carlisle insists. "Have I taught you nothing? You cannot go through life thinking with your penis."

Emmett grins, looking like a little kid.

"Besides, this isn't a sex manual!" I clarify.

"Well maybe it should be," says Emmett.

"Sex, that's your answer for everything, isn't it?" I reply, rolling my eyes.

"…and is there a problem with that?"

"Let's just move on," I say firmly.

_Just great._ We haven't even started the book and we've already veered off course with an X-rated product line, a porn shop public appearance strategy, and an on-line marketing plan geared toward pent-up men.

.

"We need to re-focus here. So the subject is how to woo a woman," I state into the machine.

"Do you mean woo-woo?" asks Emmett.

"No, just one woo," I clarify. "Woo woo is what Daffy Duck says. Woo singular is how to attract and romance a lady."

"Or the _ladies_, if you're plural and ambitious," says Emmett.

"That's testosterone-fueled bravado," Carlisle scoffs. "Us Cullen men are definitely one women men. We intentionally pick the most beautiful, bright, and interesting women, so there would be no impetus to stray."

I nod my head agreeing.

"Yeah, I was kidding," shudders Emmett. "Can you imagine what Rose would do with me if I wasn't faithful? Yikes!"

"I think we need to refocus again," Carlisle suggests, trying to help me.

"All right, so how this all came about is when I was pursuing Bella, Dad suggested that I would need to 'woo' her. Not really understanding the concept, I looked it up on the internet and discovered this archaic list of rules to woo a woman. The fascinating thing is that even though it was terribly outdated, many basic things were still true."

"Like what?" asks Emmett.

"Like, that you should show interest in what she's interested in."

"Well, I win that category. Do you know how many goddamn superhero movies I've gone to since we started dating? Do you think I give a flying fuck about Iron Man? Hell no, but if I take her, I score big points and I like that payoff…oh yes, I do."

"That's what we would categorize as gaining a high dividend on your return with a minimal investment," Carlisle says, nodding firmly.

"Have you sat through those movies? It's not always so minimal."

"Well I've sat through every single film version of the entire Jane Austen library, and the Bronte sisters' stories, so I have known my own suffering," Dad reminds him.

"How did you woo Mom initially?" I ask Carlisle.

"Well, I must admit that it took a bit to convince her of my charm."

"Really?" I ask, smiling as I imagine it.

"Yes. She had to polish me up a bit. I mean, I wore my lab coat on our first date."

Emmett and I both snicker, but then I remember that I was wearing a bow-tie and pocket protector the first time I met Bella.

"Yet she agreed to a second date," I point out.

"She said I was a phenomenal kisser." He grins. "The launching pad all came down to chemistry, but I secured her heart long-term with romance."

"How did you know what to do?" I ask, still surprised at this side of him.

"I didn't know…not at all. As a matter of fact, I had blown it with girls much less special than your mom by being stupid…forgetting dates when I was working on an exciting project…using discount coupons at restaurants while on dinner dates…insisting on only watching documentaries and refusing to see romantic comedies with them…that sort of thing."

"It's a good thing you're good-looking," suggests Emmett.

"There is no doubt that physical attractiveness is an asset, but there has to be substance beyond the façade. So when Esme agreed to go out with me again, I threw myself into research, reading every kind of dating self-help book and manual regarding interactions with women. It just confirmed what I had already theorized: they are a complicated species."

"I'll say," I agree. "What was your approach at that point?"

"I created flow charts to track not just the timing of our dates, but her reactions to them-both what she seemed to like and what she didn't. I also scheduled not just our dates on my calendar, but every gesture….what days I would bring her flowers, or write a letter. I had to find a balance so she was never overwhelmed, yet always feeling cherished."

"Are you serious?" Emmett asks, shocked. "That's a helluva lot of work."

Carlisle nods firmly.

"It's important that you are constantly changing things up so there is not a predictable pattern. Breakfast in bed on a Tuesday, Thursday I would recite a poem on her answering machine that reminded me of her. Then I'd surprise her on a Saturday and whisk her off to Olvera Street or to the Norton Simon Museum…the type of things she would particularly enjoy."

"I'm impressed," I admit. "So that's why we had babysitters sometimes on the weekends growing up."

He nods, smiling. "And the wooing continues to this day. I went to her favorite bakery this morning and purchased the croissants she loves for breakfast."

"It sounds like you've done all the work," Emmett responds.

"Au contraire, mon fils, I inspire her. She spoils me every day still."

"Wow, do you still do flow charts?" I ask. My head has been far too lost in the clouds to keep track of anything on this roller coaster ride with Bella.

"Oh no…not for years," he responds. "Now it comes naturally. But I do have quarterly check-ins with myself to make sure I'm not getting off track."

"Check-ins?" I question. "What does that accomplish?"

"It's like scheduling tune-ups for your car. How's it running? Does it need an oil change? You have to mix things up sometimes. For instance, I follow a blog that gives reviews and suggestions for romantic restaurants. I take your Mom out for a special date at least every other week, and at least once a month it's some place new I've found on the blog."

I elbow Emmett. "You should get that blog and try that." He nods, agreeing.

"Your mom also loves beautiful lingerie, so I pick out special things for her, but I give them to her at unexpected times…not just the usual anniversary or Valentine's Day."

"Yes, unexpected! The woo list talked about that," I eagerly add.

"For example, last week she offhandedly mentioned feeling old and tired, so I picked out a beautiful corset, panties, and stockings at La Perla and left them for her with a love note. The manager at the store knows your mom's sizes.

"In the love note I told Esme that she would always be the same sexy, young beauty that I fell in love with all those years ago."

"Time out!" Emmett calls out, making the T-shape with his hands. "We don't need to hear any more about Mom in a corset."

Carlisle gets a dreamy look on his face. "She's a magnificent woman, your mother is. That was a particularly fulfilling night."

I'm a bit woozy, but I have to admit that my Dad really has this romance thing figured out. Emmett and I would be wise to learn his teachings. We are the young grasshoppers for our dad, the Kung Woo Master.

"I really think, Edward, that the book should have three parts: part one: _The Woo_ part two: _Maintaining the Woo,_ and the third: _Bedroom Wooing."_

"I guess that does make sense," I agree.

"The woo must be full circle. Too many men do it only in the beginning of the relationship and once they settle in, they forget its value. They don't realize that there is an art to romance and keeping the fires of passion burning."

"Yes, Woo…the art of romance," I insist. "That's the point of all of this. I think it could have a real impact…I could even do a testimonial because just the most basic ideas of the woo changed my life."

"We're going to turn shit upside down," Emmett says dramatically. "This is going to be a romance revolution."

"Good tagline, Emmett…catchy," Carlisle agrees, nodding.

.

"I do think men have forgotten how to romance a woman and therein lies the potential market for this book," I point out. "Bella said there's a desperate need for it. She actually thinks the target group is married women who will buy it for their husbands."

"Oh yeah? And how are you going to get these husbands to read it, hold a gun to their head?" Emmett scoffs, but then he gets an idea that only Emmett could suggest.

"Actually, why don't we name a chapter _Attention Men: How To Get A Blow Job From Your Wife Twice A Week _and you can bet they'll read it. Put one of those teaser stickers with that on the front of the book."

Even Carlisle is speechless, his eyes wide.

"…and we're back in the porn shop," I say, defeated.

"What did I tell you, Bro," Emmett teases. "Sex sells!"

"Yes, yes…you've made your point, but no to your brilliant chapter idea. You know, instead, why don't you tell us Emmett: how did you woo Rose?"

"Are you fucking kidding me? She wooed me. She hit me over the head with her club and dragged me to her cave."

Carlisle nods vigorously. "It's a common misconception that the man always does the wooing. There are plenty of women with elevated testosterone levels who will bring a man to his knees."

"With Rose, I've had to invest in knee pads," Emmett agrees.

_Hopefully he means metaphorically,_ I think to myself.

"But remember how things had started to cool off, and then you turned on the woo, and…" I prompt.

"Things are hotter than ever, Bro. The fancy restaurant you suggested, the flowers, dressing nice…but you know what sealed the deal?" he asks.

"Nope."

"That whispering in her ear shit, about how she is the only one I would ever want. You nailed that to the wall. She was melting butter in my hands after that."

I grin widely. "See, that list is right. They do like whispering in the ear."

"Of course, it's multi-functional. The ear is an erogenous zone, and you can seduce them with your woo words when you whisper," Dad confirms.

"What are the woo words?" asks Emmett.

"They must be carefully selected with the woman in mind. An example is a man likes to hear about how big he is, but you can never call a woman big in any regard."

"You got that right," agrees Emmett.

"The words themselves are unremarkable, it's really how you put them together. Another example is you can whisper, 'You turn me on, baby.' That's flat, prosaic and uninspired. Or you can whisper, 'When I see you standing there, my love, I realize that you have no idea what you do to me. All I want is to take you to bed and show you how much I want you.'"

"Whoa," Emmett exclaims, impressed.

I'm scribbling furiously on my pad, capturing my thoughts that won't make it on the tape. That kind of talk is so not-Carlisle. "That doesn't sound like you at all, Dad," I point out. "How'd you learn to talk like that?"

"I know, it's still unnatural for me, but anything can be achieved if you focus and work hard enough. I actually read some of your mother's smutty romance novels and flagged, then periodically practiced the most impressive lines. They're full of that kind of talk."

"Brilliant," I say, impressed. "I should read some of those."

"They're great insight into the psyche of women and what they want from a man."

"Cause chicks write them." Emmett smirks.

"Precisely. Who better to inform you as to the deepest desires of women."

"Yeah, it sure wouldn't work if _you_ wrote it," I point out to Emmett.

"Yeah, I'm more like, 'Baby, if you get me a beer and watch this game with me, I'll go down on you later.'" Emmett grins.

"I hope you're kidding. That isn't even funny, Emmett." Dad scowls.

.

Carlisle turns to me. "So tell us, Son, how did you woo Bella? Because apparently your technique was quite effective."

I set my pencil down and think for a moment.

"I guess what it comes down to is that every day I try to think of something to make her feel special. Like I always do little drawings for her on her Starbucks cups."

"Very nice," acknowledges Carlisle. "That's unique to your special abilities…it can be your trademark, as it were."

"She's saved every one of them," I say proudly.

"She's saved dirty paper cups?" asks Emmett.

"Well, she washes them out."

"You're missing the point Emmett. She's emotionally moved by the gesture," Dad tells him.

"Who cares about being emotionally moved. Has she ever done the dirty with you after you gave her one?"

"As a matter of fact, she has." I feel myself blushing. "She showed her appreciation once on the couch in her office…rather spectacularly, I must say."

Hot," responds Emmett, with genuine appreciation.

"Couches can be conducive to very arousing sex, especially when you're well endowed like we are," Carlisle points out.

I sit there calmly realizing that I'm becoming immune to the shock of all this graphic sex talk, even though it's with my father and brother.

"Oh, here we go…technical sex talk from Professor Cullen!" Emmet smirks.

Dad ignores Emmett and presses on with his point while drawing a picture. It's rather amusing seeing him draw a stick figure with a massive arousal sitting on the edge of an 'L' shape that must signify a couch.

He gestures with his pencil over the drawing. "Well, it's simple, on a couch it is easy for both the man and women to control lifting her up and down over a large penis, while manipulating her clitoris, thus maximizing both of their pleasure."

"Oh, Jesus, are we done yet?" gasps Emmett.

"All you've talked about is sex, Em. So why do you suddenly have an issue?" I ask.

"It's skeevy hearing your dad talk about sex with our extra large members."

"This appears to be a good time, Edward, to suggest that we have diagrams in this book. Of course, as we mentioned earlier, the sexual relations side of wooing should be in the back due to sequential accuracy. You must woo a woman emotionally before you begin to woo her physically."

"Diagrams?" I ask.

Carlisle flips to the next page of his pad, and starts sketching out the female anatomy. The side view interior construction of the vagina and outlying areas appears to be his focus.

"See, men need to understand the basic anatomy of a women's body and the corresponding responses. We need to diagram the A spot and the G spot," he notes the areas with his pencil on the drawing. "And of course every man should be intimately familiar with the clitoris."

Emmett nods his head in agreement.

He makes a sweeping gesture on the pad, and then adds his clit-rendering in carefully. I get the impression he's drawn this diagram before.

"After all, the clitoris is an erogenous zone on a woman and has the densest concentration of nerve endings of any part of the skin. You master her clitoris, and you'll be greatly rewarded."

"What about the tongue?" asks Emmett. "I thought that was the most sensitive part of the body."

"The tongue is formidable, certainly," agrees Carlisle. "The combination of the tongue on the clitoris is optimal for the female. Every man needs to understand and embrace this fact."

"Because their women will be begging for the tongue on their clitoris," Emmett chimes in.

"You are so fucking crude." I sigh, rolling my eyes at Emmett.

"What?" he asks, scowling at me.

"Crude? …Perhaps. But take heed my sons, take heed," Carlisle says authoritatively. "Some very modern women value their man's erotic skills almost as high as what type of provider he is. After all, many women have their own careers; they aren't as dependent on men anymore. The men must find other value. Being eager and skilled at oral sex is such a plus."

"I definitely like it best when she begs you for it," Emmett says, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms over his chest. He looks so pleased with himself.

It appears great oral abilities were passed down from Dad to both Em and me.

"When the woman aggressively encourages erotic liaisons that's undoubtedly exciting," Dad says, acknowledging Emmett's boasting, "but when a relationship settles, life can get in the way of the passion."

"I'm not sure I want to hear about this part," Em groans.

"But it's how you handle this challenge that determines if your relationship will have lasting power. You must be sensitive to her signals. They are often abundant, yet men ignore them."

"So we need to be stealth like a detective, looking for clues?" I ask.

"I know, clues like the dirty look you get if you push her head down too hard when she's going down on you. They hate that gagging thing," Emmett offers.

"Oh, for God's sake Emmett," I grumble.

"Emmett, we're talking about more subtle signs than gagging," Dad scolds with a straight face. "For example, what do you do if she's too exhausted for sex?"

"Let her sleep," I offer.

"Well, that is one choice, yes. But there's also a chance that she's had a hard day and would appreciate your care and affection. In these cases, the lead-in is key."

"Lead-in?" I ask.

"Yes. Due to their complicated multi-tasking, women are often much more tired at night than we are. But we want the sex. We need the sex. It's engrained in our DNA. At times like these, you need to inspire them. Start by soothing her with a back rub or foot rub over a glass of wine."

"I love foot rubs," Emmett says happily. "I should have thought about that. I bet Rose would love that."

"There you go," Dad agrees. "Next you could encourage them to read one of their smutty romance novels…even better, have them read it to you. Then when they start to relax, let the strokes get more suggestive. I like to make soft circles with my fingertips along Esme's inner thighs just above the knee."

Emmett is looking squeamish again.

"You have to go slow with all of this, take your time. But if she's responding as you've hoped, you can whisper in her ear…"

"Yeah, whisper in her ear!" I concur.

"…Something like, 'I can't wait to kiss my way up your sweet thighs and run my tongue over you.'"

_Holy moly…My dad is a stud._

He clears his throat. "You may want to make sure you say that when she isn't holding her wine glass."

"Fuck, Rose loves it when I tell her I'm going to go down there. She gets wild as a tigress. Jesus, I'm getting worked up just thinking about it."

"Too much information," I scold him.

He suddenly sits up straighter and gives the recorder in the center of the table an evil eye. He reaches over and picks it up. "This thing does know that I've been kidding here. Right?"

"Sure it does, Em," I say with a snarky tone. "See the meter on the side that registers the bullshit radar's findings?"

His fingers tighten over the silver rectangle. "Now that I think of it, I don't think I want this sent to that editor. You know how the media is. They twist the truth to their liking. Humor is frequently misunderstood as truth. I'm not half the asshole sex-obsessed jerk that I sounded like today."

"That's true, but it's not like you're going to be on the cover of Star Magazine or those other exploitive publications, Emmett," Dad explains.

"You never know," he argues. "We could become famous, and I would never, ever want anything to come out that would hurt my Rose."

I watch his face soften, and my heart swells to realize how much he really does love her.

"That time a while back when I thought she was losing interest in me, well, it hit me that I couldn't stand to lose her. She's the perfect woman for me, and I'm crazy in love with her."

Carlisle smiles warmly at him. "So all we're saying is that if you regularly take the time to show her that you feel that way, it will only deepen her love and affection for you."

"Have you come up with any other ideas for wooing Rose?" I ask him.

"I did, actually. She mentioned wanting to go to the New York Comic Con in October. I thought I would take her and then plan some special outings in the city that she'd like."

"Wonderful idea, Emmett," Dad says encouragingly. "Do you know where you're staying?"

"I was thinking of that Gramercy Park Hotel. It's intimate and cool, and almost a straight shot across to the Convention Center."

"Perfect," I say, feeling happy for Emmett and his Rose.

"I think I'll take her for drinks up at Yamashiro's in the Hollywood Hills tonight. It's so clear today; the view should be spectacular. And while we're there, I'll tell her about my plans."

"See, for all of your joking, you really are becoming a woo-er," I tease.

"I'm kind of a junior woo-er at this point. But with practice I hope to work myself up to a master of the woo, like Dad."

"Me too," I chime in. "I'm taking Bella to the Mission Inn in Riverside this weekend. It's that cool old European style hotel that was built around the turn of the century. We have a comic store show near there, and afterwards we're going to have a romantic dinner in the patio just outside our room."

"I think both of you boys are well on your way," Dad says proudly. "It makes me happy to know I raised my sons to understand the importance of appreciating your women and making them happy."

I look at my watch and realize we've already been recording an hour. "So I guess we should wrap this up." I take the recorder back from Emmett and hand it to Dad. He shuts the thing off and sets it back on the table.

"What do you think, Dad? Do you think that there's a book somewhere in all of that we discussed?"

He steeples his fingers together and looks up solemnly, considering all that was said. "You know, Edward, I believe I do. The statistics on failed marriages and unsustained relationships get worse and worse. I think the woo technique, if applied en mass, could turn that trending around and improve the statistics considerably."

"So what is this going to be called again?" Emmett questions.

"_How to Woo a Woman_?" I offer.

Sounds pedantic. "How about _The Magic of the Woo_?" Dad offers.

"That's a little Harry Potterish. It really needs it's own distinct branding," I insist.

"_Wooing in Ten Easy Steps," _Emmett suggests.

"That sounds like a book on dieting, or teaching your kid how to potty train," I argue.

We all sit with our arms folded, looking up, deep in thought.

"I know, I know!" I hold my hand up with my proclamation. Dad turns the recorder back on. "It shall be called, _The Book of Woo: Ten Steps to the Romance Revolution!"_

Emmett fist pumps the air. "Yes!"

Dad nods his head as he taps the machine off again. "Well boys, I think we've got it!"

I grab the recorder and stand up. "I'm taking this to Bella right now."

The both nod at me in agreement.

"It's time for us to start the revolution!"

.

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><p><strong><em>I hope you enjoyed that little romp with the Cullen men as they plan the Book of Woo. I'll let you know when their world book tour commences. Meanwhile I'd love to hear from you...<em>**

The epilogue will be up in three weeks. Also I'm still intending to do a Bella pov outtake and anything else that Toonward decides to share with me. :-)

_Thanks so much for reading...you guys are the best.  
><em>

_xoxo_

_abbie_


	2. Chapter 39  Valentines Outtake

Twilight character names belong to Stephenie Meyer. I own Animate Me.

_I adore my Team Toonward Valentines: Editor Azucena, Prereaders BtwntheStacks, LemonMartinis, & Beta Ms. Kathy. They turned this outtake around super fast-thank you bbs_

_**We all deserve love and sometimes find it in unexpected places...I've found it here with you xoxo**  
><em>

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><p><em>.<br>_

**Animate Me / Valentines Day Outtake / A Perfect Connection**

_"You know, boys, a nuclear reactor is a lot like a woman. You just have to read the manual and press the right buttons"~ Homer Simpson_

.

..~***Edward***~..

.

You can bet I taped a covering over the security camera's lens. I'm not going to make that stupid mistake twice. I check my watch anxiously. It's almost time.

Why am I nervous? After all, this was Bella's idea. Besides, it's my girl_…_my_ lover._ I grin just hearing that word roll around in my head…luv-var, loovar, luffer.

_Oh man, do I love her._

Bella is my everything now, but all those months ago when she strode down this aisle and lassoed my heart, I would've never imagined how much my life would change. Who would've thought that my true destiny would begin unfolding in a place called 'Geek World?'

I straighten out my bow tie and decide to slip a pen in my pocket protector. I remember Bella reading my name off the plastic flap that first meeting and I run my finger over the black type. I smile, recalling that she didn't know I was wearing a uniform. She thought I actually dressed like this, like a total geek. Jeez, it still makes me queasy to realize that was her first impression of me.

So I'm lucky the owner Joe didn't ask me twenty questions when I asked if I could use the shop for a couple hours after closing on Valentine's Day. Well, tonight Bella and I will not recreate history; we will reinvent it.

I check my watch again, make sure the front door is unlocked, and then return to the sales counter. My sketch pad is open with an almost finished drawing, just like our first meeting. The store is silent but for the drumming of my fingers across the Formica surface.

The security shades are all pulled over the front windows and door, but suddenly I see a silhouette appear and then the door slowly starts to open. My heart is pounding like a tribal drum.

.

..~***Bella, Three Weeks Earlier***~..

.

I thought he was going to cry, he looks so crestfallen when I tell him that I hate Valentines Day. I can immediately see that the wheels have been turning in that brilliant head of his and that he'd been planning something special.

"But, Bella," he implores.

"It's a commercial holiday, baby. There's nothing swoony about being crammed in a restaurant with a million other couples pretending that this is the most romantic day of the year. Then you convince yourself that the overpriced pre-fixe menu that you had to pre-pay on your credit card is the most sensual food you've ever slipped between your lips. You finish off the champagne since it cost a fortune and you don't want to waste a drop. The climax of the event is the heart-shaped chocolate lava cake that, once pierced with your fork, is hot, gooey, and orally orgasmic." I roll my eyes twice for extra emphasis. "Check, please!"

"But, Bella…" He looks alarmed. He's never seen me quite like this.

"And while I'm on a roll, what's romantic about standing in front of the pink and red Valentine display at Target manhandling card after card until you find one that is the perfect balance of sweet and sexy, longing and deep desire? The sentiment was probably penned by some middle-aged hack before being zapped to China to be printed then embellished in sweatshops full of children."

"Oh for fucks sake, Bella!" he says, throwing his hands up in the air. "Are you going to kill off Santa and the Easter Bunny next?"

I smirk and continue since I'm on fire. "And don't get me started on the flowers conspiracy," I warn.

"Is this about Aro?" He folds his arms over his chest. "Is he the one that ruined Valentine's Day for you?"

"Perhaps," I say quietly, while I consider the Valentine's I spent with him. "Yes," I finally admit. "The more money he threw at it, the more contrived and miserable it got. Besides, he was always in a bad mood on Valentine's."

"Wow," Edward says. He almost looks glad that Aro screwed it up so royally. He knows he can only go up from there.

"You know the irony? After all that aggravation, does anyone actually have great sex on Valentine's Day?"

"Well, we're going to," my man insists. I like the intense look on his face. His determination to please me is one of the most endearing things about him. It makes me want to not just give him my heart, but everything I have to give.

"Now you're talking. Let's just make love all night, Edward. That sounds like the perfect Valentine's Day to me."

"Ooookay," Edward agrees. I can tell he's not sure if he should agree or push for more.

"Hey, I know," I offer. "We could play dress up."

Edward grins. I love it when he smiles like this; it makes him look like a kid again.

"Who should we dress up like?" he asks as he takes a sip of his Starbucks. "I know…you could be Princess Leia in that metal bikini thingy and I could be Han Solo. I could wave my big lightsaber at you," he says, happily wiggling his eyebrows.

"You aren't waving any big thing at me. Did you forget that Han Solo isn't a Jedi? He doesn't have a lightsaber. What kind of geek are you?"

He tips his head down mortified.

"Anyway, nothing against Star Wars, but since it's the day of love and all, let's do something more personal to us." I flash through our various adventures in my mind.

"I know," I suddenly announce. "Why don't we recreate when we first met!"

"Do you mean at Geek World?" he asks, horrified. "What would be fun about that?"

"I could say and do what I was _really_ thinking that day," I reply.

His eyes get wide with curiosity. "What were you _really _thinking?"

"You'll find out," I tease. "Do you think Joe would let you use the place for a bit after hours?" The ideas are coming fast and furiously now.

"Probably," he says. I can tell he still isn't sure this is a good idea.

"Do you still have the shirt?"

"You really want me to wear that?" he asks, unsteadily.

"Absolutely. The shirt is key. And make sure you wear your glasses that night. Believe me, handsome, you'll be glad you did."

.

..~***Edward***~..

As we get closer to Valentine's my feelings of dread increase. Of course, Bella is the one who fishes through our closet and finds the geek shirt, its bow tie still dangling from the collar of its polo-shirt. I had envisioned creating the perfect romantic and sexy evening for my girl; instead, I'm going to be in a strip mall dressed up like a loser.

I'm a new man now who doesn't really want to revisit that shy awkward guy who could barely look Bella in the eye. When we first met I was afraid to talk to her; now I'm a confident, sexual beast. Just last week I spread her across my desk and went down on her before lifting her into my arms and taking her hard against the file cabinets. There's nothing geeky about that.

But the closer we get to our 'special date', the more excited Bella gets about it, so I just don't see how I can let her down. We agree not to buy gifts or cards, but I secretly take a special drawing I did of her and refit it in a frame to give her. It's not really cheating because I didn't buy anything and I really wanted to give her something special.

I pull on the stupid shirt and smooth it down over my chest and waist. Luckily, my hair is on the long side and due for a cut, so I comb it down over my face and push my black glasses on. At first I laugh at my reflection. It's even worse than I remember.

If there ever was any doubt, this proves it…I'll do anything for my girl.

I roll my eyes, take the wrapped framed and my car keys, and head out the door. At least I'll get to see Bella in her short skirt and laced up boots tonight. She's coached me to react to her like it's our first meeting, but I can be provocative if I'm inspired.

I hope my girl's ready, because she always inspires me.

.

..~***Bella***~..

.

I have the taxi drop me off a few doors down from the storefront. Edward has drawn the shades, but the light still glows behind the frosted panes. A thrill pulses through me.

He's in there waiting for me. I pause for a moment, the memories of first meeting him still so vivid. He thinks he wasn't appealing to me, that he was forgettable. Well tonight I plan I convince him otherwise.

From the moment we started talking I realized there was a connection between us. It just took me longer than him to work it all out. I never could've imagined that a shopping trip to buy a computer cord would change my life completely.

I smooth the edge of my Sex Pistols T-shirt over my hips, reach for the door handle, and pull. Everything I want in life is just on the other side.

.

..~***Edward***~..

.

She's here. I grip the edges of the counter as she slips inside the entrance.

_Oh fuck, _she looks so hot – if possible, even sexier than the first time she sashayed through that door. From the distance, she glances at my drawing pad but doesn't look up at me yet, and it makes me so worked up inside. As my eyes roam over her t-shirt and laced up boots, I notice her reach behind and lock the door before darting to the left. She disappears behind the computer accessory aisle.

I wait.

.

..~***Bella***~..

.

I stop halfway down the aisle and wonder what he's thinking. Is he as excited as I am right now? I hope so, because by the time I'm done with him Geek World will never be the same. I count to twenty as slowly as possible. I'm going to take my time tonight. I want to make him crazy.

Just when I think I can't bear waiting another moment, I peak around the aisle. He's bent over the counter sketching in his pad. I watch him push his glasses up his nose nervously. He's so sexy when he's drawing, it's hard for me not to just run and grab him. Damn, I already want him so much. _Get a grip, Bella._ I take a deep breath and find my focus again.

"Excuse me," I call out. His head pops up and the pencil slips out of his fingers.

"Can you help me?" I step into the middle aisle and lean on one hip, clasping my hands behind my back. I tip my chin down and give him a demure look.

"Sure," he responds, his eyes lighting up as he starts to step out from behind the counter. "What are you looking for?"

I bite my lip and tip my head sideways. "Why don't you come over here and I'll show you what I need." I step back behind the aisle and wait.

.

..~***Edward***~..

_I'll show you what I need…_

Oh, Jesus, how am I going to hold back and keep this game up with her? I'm already aroused.

When I approach her, she's delicately running her fingers along the packages.

"How can I help you?" I stutter. "I mean, what do you need?" I gaze at her with a serious expression.

She turns toward me and studies my lips for a moment before looking into my eyes.

"I need a connection," she says, as she watches me and slowly raises one eyebrow. "And I need one of those cord thingies to do it."

"I see." I nod my head thoughtfully. "Do you require a male connection?"

"Male?" she asks as her gaze moves across my shoulders. "Can you show me what you mean?"

_Damn, she's good. I almost believe she has no idea about computers._

I sure wish I could show her _my _'male' part so we could quit playing around and make our 'connection.' But she stands patiently waiting for my explanation.

I take a few steps over to a display and she follows just behind me. I pull the USB out of the secured laptop.

"See right here?" I run my finger over the metal protrusion at the end of the cord. "This is the male part."

She keeps a serious expression as she runs her finger along its length. "Yes, I see."

I point to the side of the laptop. "And see this hole here?" I finger it and push the tip of my pinky against the opening. "This is where the male part goes."

"You just slide it in?" she asks, before biting her bottom lip. She leans in toward where my finger lingers and her breast presses against my arm.

I swallow as I feel her warmth against me.

"Yeah, you may have to push hard but once it's all the way in…you have a connection."

.

..~***Bella***~..

.

I press into him just a second longer before I stand up straight. I glance down at his pocket protector and smile.

"Are you Edward?"

He smiles shyly and pushes his glasses up his nose. "Yeah, that's me."

"Well hi, Edward. I'm Bella."

"Bella," he repeats with reverence like it's a prayer.

I look down and see how aroused he is and that makes me twist up inside. I don't think he realizes yet how turned on I am. He watches me carefully.

"Do you think it's exciting to work here?" I ask, my gaze still lingering just below his belt.

"Not usually. But tonight…" He blushes.

_Damn, I love it that he still blushes._

"Well, you're a pretty exciting customer, Bella."

"You like helping me."

He nods briskly. "You're the kind of girl that I've always hoped I could help."

"With my connections?"

"Yeah…" He pauses and looks down, but then boldly looks back up at me. "…and maybe other stuff, too."

I look up at him and bite the tip of my thumb and smile.

"Are you this way with all the pretty girls that come in here?"

"No," he insists, horrified that I'd suggest that. "Besides, you aren't just pretty."

"Really?" I ask.

He shakes his head. "No, I think you're beautiful." He looks me in the eye. "I think you're the most beautiful girl in the world."

I run my finger slowly along his forearm. "You know, for the shy type, you're sure a charmer. I think you're flirting with me." I lick my bottom lip and his gaze follows my tongue, mesmerized.

He blinks nervously, but then stands up straighter.

"I mean it, Bella," he says in a serious tone "I've always thought that."

"So you've noticed me before? You've seen me around." I know the answer but it's part of the game.

"I've always noticed you. I just never thought you'd come in here."

.

..~***Edward***~..

.

She keeps looking down to see how I'm straining against my slacks. I'm so hard it's almost painful, but in a good way. I feel so dirty, like I want to lift her skirt and take her against the printer display. But I know if I wait the rewards will be greater.

"Do you want to know what I think about you?" she asks.

I nod slowly and take a deep breath.

She looks up and studies me, really looks at me with those gorgeous brown eyes. "I think you're so handsome."

"Really?" For a moment, I'm transported back to that afternoon and the feeling that she must have thought I was such a loser.

"I know you don't see it-you don't think you're handsome, and that makes you even more so. But Edward…your face is perfection. You have such kissable lips, a strong jaw and wicked cheekbones that I want to bite and lick, and the most stunning green eyes. And then when you smile, well…it does things to me."

_Wow._

"And you know what else?" she asks, almost whispering.

"What?" I ask, excited to hear more.

She takes a step closer and leans into me. My heart starts racing as her lips press against my ear. "You're sexy. So sexy." She lets out a sigh and her breath against my neck is almost too much.

"Oh, God," I groan. I can feel her breast and hip pressed against me. I shut my eyes tight.

Her fingers wrap around my wrist. "What, handsome?"

"Maybe…well, I was thinking that maybe you'd let me help you with your connections, Bella. You know, outside of here."

"I'd like that." She smiles sweetly, but there's fire in her eyes.

"Can I get your number then?"

Her hand lingers over my pocket protector and slowly, so slowly she pulls out a pen. She turns back toward the counter and leans over to test the ink on an order pad next to the printer.

She knows what she's doing with her curvy ass swaying right in front of me. I can't help it, I step right behind her and press my hardness against her softness. My hand lingers just above her back. I'm afraid to slip my hands over her hips because I know if I do I won't stop until her panties are around her ankles. I'm practically panting and she pauses, listening and feeling the tension as I come undone. Both of my hands clench up into fists.

As she rises, she pushes back against me, rubbing her ass just enough. _Fuck._

She turns around and takes my left fist and slowly pulls the trembling fingers open. I'm stunned as she writes her phone number in the palm of my hand, right on my skin like a tattoo. "So you won't forget," she whispers.

"Can I give you mine?"

She nods and hands me the pen. And arches her brow, waiting.

_I need to be creative._ It's time to push things forward.

I consider all the spots I'd like to mark her, but I finally sink to my knees.

"Oh my," she says quietly.

I gently push her legs apart and try to keep my fingers from shaking as I write my number on the inside of her thigh, a few inches above her knee.

She slowly runs her fingers through my hair as I finish.

"Why there, Edward?"

I lift up higher on my knees and look up at her. "Because that's just where _I _want to be."

"Pressed between my legs?"

_Yes_

"God, yes."

.

..~***Bella***~..

.

He gently kisses my thigh, right next to where he's marked me, before he lifts himself back up again.

"…and I wanted it to be somewhere you wouldn't forget me."

"I could never forget you," I tell him as I look down and see his name on my thigh. I wish his hands were still there so I could urge them higher.

"Really?" His eyes get big, like he's forgotten that this is a game-that I'm his woman in real life. "What would you do if I'd asked you out on a date, Bella?"

"You mean if I didn't know that we worked at the same place? If there was nothing in our way?"

He takes in the hidden meaning of my words, as his mind calculates how differently our path might have gone if we both didn't work at Animation Nation and if Aro hadn't been in the picture.

"Yeah, if it was just me…this awkward boy smitten with this beautiful girl."

"I'd ask if you could get off work right now."

He smiles brightly.

.

..~***Edward***~..

.

_She would have gone out with me?_

She would have gone out with me!

I'm stunned yet energized. "Hey, I'm almost done with work anyway. But before we go, can I show you something in the stockroom?" I ask, trying to sound innocent. But of course she takes it as I imagined she would.

She grins wickedly.

"Is it true that you guys keep all your hotties in the back room?"

I remember how flustered I got when she asked me that her first time in Geek World.

I grin. "No, apparently, all the hotties are out here."

"I'm not sure I believe you." She feigns a jealous look.

"Do you want to see?"

"Sure, show me your back room."

I take her arm and gently pull her down the aisle. As we pass the check out counter, she suddenly stops.

"Your drawing pad," she observes. "Can you show me what you were drawing?"

I reach over for the pad and slide it towards her.

She bounces on her toes. "It's me…like this," she says waving her hand over her outfit. I'm watching, delighted as she takes note of all the details I've sketched in her boots and t-shirt.

I study the drawing alongside her. What I fixate on is her expression, her parted cherry lips and electric eyes-the sway of her lush hips and curve of her full breasts. If only the drawing could truly capture how perfect she is to me.

"It's always you," I assure her.

.

..~***Bella***~..

.

Every time Edward sketches me, I die a little inside. He always makes me more beautiful than I see myself.

"What did you think about when you drew this?" I gently ask.

"It's hard to explain." He looks down like he's embarrassed, but he soldiers on. "It's like I feel you inside of me…your beauty, your spirit, your fierceness. Then I try to capture that feeling with my pencil."

"That's incredible," I say as I step closer and face him. "I do all that to you?"

"Bella, you have no idea how much you affect me." He takes my hand and places it just above his ear. "Here in my mind." He moves my hand and presses it on his chest. "In my heart." And then he takes a deep breath and slides my hand down over his arousal. "And here."

"Oh, Edward," I moan as I feel him pulse under my hand. I step closer, aching to kiss him as all the lines with the game get blurred. We are inches apart and the longing is thick and heavy in the air. I don't know if I've ever wanted him more.

"If we don't go to the back room right now, I'm not going to make it there." His breath catches as his fingers graze the edge of my skirt.

"Let's go," I whisper.

He takes my hand and pulls me through the swinging double doors. My eyes readjust to the dimmer light. We stop in front of a stack of cartons.

"See, no other hotties…just my hottie," he informs me as he sweeps his hand across the room, finally gesturing towards me.

"I must say, I'm glad about that," I admit.

"But this is for you," he says, quietly pointing to something flat wrapped in red tissue on top of the carton.

"You weren't supposed to buy me anything! We had an agreement," I insist.

He steps up behind me and slips his hands on my hips. "I didn't buy this. It's just something I had. Come on…open it."

I pull the tissue away and gasp as I see a nude drawing of me in a simple elegant frame. The symphony of lines and shading render me a classic beauty. It's a series of curves, from my thighs, hips and breasts to the way my hair curls over my shoulders. No one would believe an animator-slash-comic book geek could have created something so exquisite. I love it.

"When did you do this? It's so beautiful."

"That's the drawing I was doing the day you first walked in here. I don't know if you remember, but I'd gotten distracted when you walked in and forgot that it was open on the counter. When you walked up I had to jerk it away before you saw it."

"Yes, I remember you acting strange about it. Well, now I see why. Look at my expression. It's like you could make love with this drawing."

His hands move up my sides and he leans his face close so that his lips brush my hair. "I didn't want to you know that I'd been fantasizing about you like that. You have no idea how much I wanted you."

His words sizzle through me like a sparkler being waved on a warm summer night.

"Is this the only nude drawing you did of me back then?"

"God, no." His hands move higher and as he cups my breasts and presses against me. He gently bites my neck as he whispers, "There are dozens, probably hundreds of them."

_Oh, Edward_.

I'm grasping my last few threads of resistance as I press my thighs together tightly.

When his fingers start to pull on my nipples, I know we've lost our battle with temptation. Any resolve to slow our seductive game down has crumbled and fallen to the storeroom floor.

.

..~***Edward***~..

.

Everything is filtered through a seductive haze. I can't even see straight as I move against her and touch her breasts. My desperate need for her overpowers any other sensation.

_Bella, please…_

She slowly turns around, but then pushes me a step back.

"I have something for you, too," she teases. "It's under here." She pulls on her t-shirt.

"Take it off," I growl.

She gives me a look and then slowly takes the edge of the shirt and begins to peel it up. I lick my lips when I see the soft skin just above her waist. She goes higher, higher, and then…_oh, fuck._

"Bella." I groan.

It's some kind of half bra thing in dark red. Her nipples aren't even covered. All of that perfection is right there, waiting for my hands, my lips, and my mouth.

"Look," she says, pointing to a flat silver heart at the center of the bra where her full breasts are pressed together. "It says 'Be Mine'. Will you be mine, Edward?"

I'm speechless, so I nod enthusiastically before I pull her against me and take her nipple in my mouth. She caresses my head against her as I get lost in her softness.

"There's more," she whispers as I pull her closer and move to the other breast. I can feel her fumble with something on her skirt, and then she pushes it down over her hips and to the ground. She takes my free hand and presses it between her legs. I feel lace and heat, but then she maneuvers my fingers and they slip between a gap in the panties and right into her wetness.

I pull away from her and look down to where my fingers touch her. Her matching panties must have a secret entrance.

"Crotchless panties," she giggles. "Tacky, right? I got them from Fredrick."

"Who the fuck is Fredrick?" I rear up, imaging I'm going to have to kill the fucker. But then something occurs to me. "Do you mean Fred Segal?"

"No." She laughs. "Fredrick's of Hollywood."

Relieved, I look up at her with a dark look while I run my fingers over her exposed nipples.

"I think you should shop there all the time."

.

..~***Bella***~..

.

My need for him is so big at times that it takes my breath away. But now, as he studies me, glazed eyes and hungry lips, nothing else matters but him being inside of me.

I reach for him and quickly undo his fly. He watches as I push everything down and finally free him. When I take him firmly in my hand, his head falls back as he moans.

"I'm not going to last, Bella," he warns me. "You've got me so worked up."

"Me either," I respond as I push him back onto a low, wide pile of cartons. He slides back until he can rest against the wall.

As I raise my knee to crawl up and join him, he holds up his hand.

"Wait," he insists.

"What?" I'm intrigued.

"I've just got to look at you for a minute." He smiles happily and makes a circular motion with his hand. "Can you turn around slowly so I can take it all in?"

I make a long show of it as I turn, swiveling my hips and running my hands over my breasts and hips. He slowly touches himself as he watches me.

"Oh, Bella," he whispers. "You wore that for me."

"Mmm, I did," I say, smiling. I look at him, still in his geek shirt, his slacks around his ankles, and his glasses sliding down his nose. He looks vulnerable yet incredibly sexy with his flushed cheeks and hooded eyes.

I want him. I always want him. I'm insatiable, but thankfully we are well matched in that regard.

"Are you ready for me?" I tease.

His voice is low and sweet, but the look in his eyes burns right through me as he reaches out for me.

"Come here, Valentine."

.

..~***Edward***~..

.

She crawls up and straddles my legs, resting lightly on my thighs.

"Closer," I insist, and pull her into my arms. She is pressed against me and I can feel how much she wants me.

"So you see now that I always wanted you," she whispers. She playfully tugs on my bow tie, but refuses to let me take off my shirt. "I would've let you take me to the stockroom that day, you know."

This is my true gift tonight. She's helped me see that I was always someone she would want, someone she could love.

I gently take her face in my hands and kiss her, once, twice, and with the third, she moans into my mouth as my tongue slowly dances with hers.

Finally, she rises above me and shifts as I position myself. When she sinks down over me we both still and watch each other silently, completely overwhelmed.

It's a perfect connection.

Male to female.

Bella to Edward.

Sparks and surges, as my hands grasp her hips to slowly push her up, then pull her down hard.

Wild and tamed, as she loves me fiercely and I beg her for _more, Bella more._

Pleasure and the sweetest pain, as I fill her and know that I'll never get enough.

She arches back and cries out as our love wraps around us. I hold her close and kiss away her heartfelt tears when she starts to come.

.

Be mine, my Bella Valentine.

Forever be mine.

.

.

* * *

><p><em>.<em>

__I hope you enjoyed this valentine, from me to you_**_  
><em>**_

_... A review is a valentine back :-) I love hearing from you  
><em>

_xoxo_

_abbie_

_Despite my real life being whipped into a frenzy, if Toonward keeps talking to me, I should get part one of the epilogue up Saturday  
><em>

__Thanks for reading and see you soon!_  
><em>

_.  
><em>


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